The present invention relates to a device for attaching the brake shoe to a disk brake for a railroad car.
FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11 show a conventional disk brake for a railroad car. In the disk brake, a pair of brake levers 1 and 2 are coupled to each other at their halfway portions by coupling rod 6 and pins 3a and 3b so that the brake levers are swingable. An actuator 4 is provided between the ends of the brake levers 1 and 2. Brake shoe assemblies 5 are attached to the other ends of the brake levers 1 and 2 by U-shaped brackets 12a and 12b and coupling pins 13 and 14.
Actuator 4 includes a cylinder 4a, the bottom of which cylinder 4a is coupled to one end of the brake lever 1 by a pin 7. A piston rod 4b similarly is coupled to one end of the other brake lever 2 by a pin 8.
One end of a return spring 9 is coupled to the brake lever 1 by a pin 10. The other end of the return spring 9 is adjustably coupled to the brake lever 2 by a bolt and nut 11 to use together.
The disk brake is attached to the railroad car by supporting the cylinder 4a and the coupling pins 13 and 14 on the chassis 15 of the car. The cylinder 4a is supported by a bracket 16 on the chassis 15.
The upper portions 13a and 14a of the coupling pins 13 and 14 are shaped as forks. Support links 18 and 19 are coupled at their ends to the upper portions 13a and 14a of the coupling pins 13 and 14 and coupled at their other ends to brackets 15a and 15b on the chassis 15. As a result, the brake shoe assemblies 5 are hung from the chassis 15.
Each brake shoe assembly 5 includes a body 22 and a brake shoe 23. The brake shoe 23 includes a back element 25 and a lining 24 secured thereto. As shown in FIG. 11, body 22 has a pair of brackets 22a on the rear of the body, and has a dovetail groove 22b in the front of the body. One end 22c of the dovetail groove 22b is closed, and the other end 22d is open. The back 25, to which the lining 24 is secured, has a dovetail 25a, which is fitted in the dovetail groove 22b of the body 22. A securing piece 28 has a pair of bolt holes 28a and 28b and a projection 28c.
In each brake shoe assembly 5, the dovetail 25a of the back element 25 of the brake shoe 23 is inserted into the dovetail groove 22b of the body 22 from the open end 22d of the dovetail groove. The projection 28c of the securing piece 28 is then inserted into the central portion of the dovetail groove to hold the back element 25 at its end face, and the securing piece is then tightened on the body 22 by bolts 30.
Since the dovetail 25a of the brake shoe 23 is inserted upwards into the dovetail groove 22b of the body 22 and the securing piece 28 is tightened on the body 22 by the bolts 30 to attach the brake shoe to the body, it is not only difficult for a single working person to attach the brake shoe to the body but also there is a danger that the brake shoe is likely to drop off to injure the person when the bolts 30 are pulled out to detach the brake shoe.